Page:The Gospel of Râmakrishna.djvu/239

 on worldly objects and instantly I roused her in the same manner. In amazement she folded her hands and remained motionless before me.

vii

Keshab Chunder Sen was suffering from a serious illness. Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna

was very anxious to see him, so He came one day with a few of His dis- ciples to Keshab's home, where He was received by some of Keshab's disciples. They led Him to the drawing-room and seated Him on a couch. The room was fitted up with modern furniture. The Bhagavan looked at it for a moment; then His mind turned within and He went into Samadhi. After recovering sense-consciousness, He spoke thus: There are two, the physical body and the Atman; the body is born, so it must die, but

Atman is deathless. It is separate from the body, like a nut in the shell; but when the nut is unripe, it is difficult to separate the kernel from the shell; so it is with worldly people who have not realized God. Their Atman remains attached to the body; but in true knowledge the Atman appears as separate from the body.